Krishnan Sreekumar
Manchester United scouted Villarreal star Arnaut Danjuma during his match-winning display against Bayern Munich
According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United scouts were in attendance in Spain to watch Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma in action against Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, with the English club tracking his progress.
Playing the Bavarian giants at the Estadio de la Cerámica, Danjuma scored early in the first half of the game to hand the opposition the first-leg defeat. Villarreal will now head confidently into the second leg of the quarterfinals to defend their well-earned lead and try to build on it, if possible.
After failing to impress in England, the winger’s move to Spain last summer has reaped rewards as he has turned into a regular for the Yellow Submarines, becoming a key player for manager Unai Emery this season.
Apart from his fantastic form in La Liga, the ex-Bournemouth star has contributed to six goals in the Champions League as the Spanish side have punched above their weight to get to the quarterfinals of the continental competition.
Keeping tabs on Danjuma
His form in his debut season under Emery has caught the attention of a number of European clubs, including United, who are tracking his progress. The 25-year-old signed a contract until 2026 to stay in Spain, which also includes a £64m buyout clause.
The Red Devils also face competition from arch-rivals Liverpool to secure his services, with the Nigeria-born player compared to Paris Saint-Germain ace Kylian Mbappe for his pace and ability to attack off the left flank.
The Old Trafford crowd is well aware of his abilities, given how well he played against the Manchester side in a Champions League group game in September. In an eventual 2-1 win for Man United, Danjuma was a constant threat on the left flank, terrorising Diogo Dalot in defence and grabbing an assist as he set up Paco Alcacer.
Meanwhile, our wingers Jadon Sancho and Anthony Elanga have been positives for the team at times, but have not proven to be reliable. Their performance levels are not consistent enough to sustain the attack, which has been a problem for us this season.
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Marcus Rashford has looked woefully out of form to slot in on the wings as first-choice once again, while Anthony Martial, who is also capable of playing wide, is out on loan at Sevilla with his future in Manchester looking uncertain.
Given the current situation of our wide men, Danjuma’s addition to the squad would prove to be a big difference next season. Furthermore, it could act as a motivating factor for the Dutchman to sign for us, perhaps to make up for all the criticism he faced while playing in England previously.
